Hayley
by Burning-Baby-Doll
Summary: A oneshot based on the story of the song Camisado by Panic! At the Disco.


Cole sighed. He didn't even know why he was there. Hayley had been far from a perfect girlfriend. But still. Cole was the dependable guy. He did what was expected of him, exactly when he was supposed to. Sometimes he wished he would grow a backbone.

"Young man? You may see her now, but brace yourself. She's in bad shape." Cole ducked the doorway and thanked the nurse. He sighed and leaned against the doorjamb. What had she gotten herself into know? He knew there had been a party. He knew there had been no one to drive Hayley home, and an accident. He hadn't gone to the party. He had a big test the next day to study for. Not like it mattered anymore. The teacher would exempt him because of Hayley. Because of Hayley. He thought about those words for a moment. It actually answered a lot of questions people had been asking. Why are you never around anymore? his best friend Cassidy would demand. Because of Hayley. His parents- Why were you out so late? Because of Hayley. Hayley, Hayley, Hayley. Hayley was the kind of girl who demanded attention. She was only slightly pretty and possessed just a modicum of wit. But she commanded everyone's rapt attention. It was as if, when she entered a room, some supreme Being had spoken and said, "Hayley is here! Time to devote all of your time to meeting her every whim! Laugh at her jokes! Compliment her clothing! It _is_ Hayley, after all!" Cole pushed himself off the doorframe and pulled up a chair to the hospital bed. There was an IV in her hand. Beeping machines measured her heart rate, her breathing. She was in a coma. Oddly enough, Cole didn't feel any sort of real sadness. He wasn't overly upset. In fact, one could go as far as to say that he felt inconvenienced by her accident. She was drunk, the doctors said. Cole didn't need them to tell him that. He would have known anyways. He thought that maybe he should have gone to the party with her. She always got unbelievably smashed and he could have driven her home. But he did not feel guilt. He felt . . . annoyance. Annoyance that as soon as she woke up, Hayley was going to be milking this for all it was worth. It was an excuse for people to feel bad for her, to flit over her in distress, to offer to help in any way they could. He imagined the inevitable gleam in her eye and grimaced. But still he leaned over, took her hand and muttered comforting-sounding utter nonsense until visiting hours were over.

The next day, before he went in, he heard a few nurses talking about her. "You know number 216? The high school chick? Well, I was there in the ER when they brought her in. Jesus, the hell she raised! Utterly drunk and bleeding all over the place. She was kickin' and yellin' and screamin' like nobody's businesses. Finally passed out. Jesus," she repeated, as if merely saying the name would forgive her sin of gossiping.

"She's in a coma now, you know," said a younger nurse.

"Hm. Well, maybe she won't raise as much hell that way. I mean Jesus!" The nurse cackled again and brushed past Cole. She smelled of cigarette smoke and two-dollar perfume. It was a combination Cole could have lived without inhaling.

He stepped into her room once more. She was still in that coma, her breaths deep and even, the heart monitor beeping steadily away. Once again, he took her hand and a began his next-to-inaudible and completely insincere mantra of, "You'll be fine, you'll wake up, it'll be okay, you'll be fine, you'll wake up . . . " It went on like that for over an hour.

"You'll be fine, you'll wake up, it'll be okay, you'll be fine, you'll wake up, it'll be okay, you'll be fine, you'll wake up, it'll be okay, you'll be fine, you'll wake up, it'll be o-" Just then the door opened to reveal Cassidy. He stopped mid-sentence and dropped her hand. "Cass." he said simply. Her gazed was almost a little cold and she looked pissed. "Why am I not surprised. How long have you been here?"

Cole shrugged. He wasn't sure any more.

"I thought so." She sighed, put down her purse and moved her sunglasses up into her brown hair. "Cole, why are you even here? I mean, I know she's your girlfriend and all, but I can tell you can't stand her anymore! You're never around her, you don't talk to her, don't bring her up in conversation . . . I just don't get why you're putting yourself through this. Why didn't you break it off sooner?"

He almost smiled and stopped himself. Cass always had a way of putting things in exactly the way you'd been trying not to look at."I . . . I don't know, Cass. Do you think I should leave here?"

"Yes. I do. Come with me. I'll buy you some food."

He thought for a moment. "Okay." He took one look back at Hayley. He felt . . . nothing. He felt bad because someone was hurt, but other than that . . . nothing.

Hayley opened her eyes. "Nurse?" she croaked. No response. "_Nurse!_" she shrieked. A grizzled, middle-aged woman came in. "Nurse, where are my parents?"

"In the cafeteria. Eating. That's generally what people do around the middle of the day.

"Eating! I just woke up and they're _eating!_"

_ My, aren't _we_ prissy_, the nurse thought.

"Hmpf. Fine. Forget them." she said, making a complete turnaround. "Has there been a boy in here lately?"

"A boy?"

"Yes, a boy," she responded with impatience. "About six seven, slight build, dark hair?"

The nurse thought. "Oh, him. Yes, he was here about a week ago. Came in about three and left about and hour and a half later with a young lady."

"Did . . . did she have brown hair and a tan?"

"I don't know. She might've. I didn't pay attention. I'll let the doctor come see you."

Hayley fumed. _Cassidy._

It had been a little over a week since the accident. It was a Beatles week, as Cass called it- eight days. "Kind of like a baker's dozen," she would explain. Cole had hardly thought about Hayley. But word was that she was out of the coma, and was coming back to school soon. Cole didn't really pay attention to this very much. He was busy with Cassidy. He was beginning to see how much better a girlfriend she would be.

Hayley strutted into school a few days later. With her expertly applied makeup, it was impossible to see her bruises and scrapes. Her left arm was in a sling because of a broken collarbone, but that was the only thing she couldn't disguise. She marched right up to Cole, who was talking to Cassidy, and demanded, "Where have you been?"

"I have a life, you know."

"I'm your _girlfriend_. I'm top-priority, remember!"

Cole regarded her icily. "Well maybe I don't want you as my girlfriend anymore."

Hayley's jaw dropped. "_WHAT?_" she hissed.

"You herd me. You treat me like shit. You don't give a damn what I want or need. Or about me, I imagine. We're through." Cole actually felt a little bad about being so mean, but she did kind of deserve it.

She turned and shoved her index finger at Cassidy. "This is all _your_ fault!"

Cassidy was about to snap back when Cole came in with, "Hey! You leave Cass out of this!"

She narrowed her eyes at him, a look of venom completely lost on him "_Fine_," she spat and click-click-clicked away on her heels.

Cassidy smiled. "Good for you, Cole. I've been waiting for that."

Cole turned towards her. "Yeah, I think I have, too. Hey, can ask you something?"

Slightly puzzled, Cassidy turned her face up towards him. "Yeah, what?"

"You wanna go out sometime?"


End file.
